Key Facts About the Salvador Castro Shooting

Two students at Salvador Castro Middle School in the Westlake area were shot at around 8:53 a.m. on Thursday while in a classroom, according to various news reports.

Neither student has been publicly identified, but they’re both 15 years old; one is a boy and the other is girl. The girl is in fair condition after being shot in the wrist while the boy is in serious condition after suffering a gunshot wound to the head. Three others, a woman, boy and girl, were also hospitalized for minor injuries, although none of them suffered from gunshot wounds.

A 12-year-old girl, also a student at the school, has been taken into custody as a suspect and a gun was found at the scene of the crime. No motive has yet been determined.

An image was taken of a girl being escorted from the campus in handcuffs, but it is not known if this is the same girl who was taken into custody.

The school was put into lockdown following the shooting but it has since been declared safe and classes will be still be held for the rest of the day.

“Our campus, while it’s on lockdown, is safe,” Los Angeles School Police Department Chief Steven Zipperman told CNN. “There is no more safety threat to the students of this school.”

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent Vivian Ekchian told reporters she was “incredibly saddened by the fact that it happened.”

“We remain committed to our students and communities,” said Ekchian. “We will address this issue both in terms of real time mental health support and any other type of support that is necessary for our students to be back and learning.”

In the same press conference, LAUSD School Board President Monica Garcia thanked the first responders and said that everyone was “troubled” by the shooting.

“We must remember that healing is possible and there are many resources here across the district and the city to help our young people and their families,” said Garcia.